The STACK Exercise of the Week will help you improve your overall sports performance—including strength, speed, conditioning and flexibility. This week we highlight the Backward Weighted Bear Crawl, an exercise that improves full-body strength.
Who’s Doing It
Adrian Gonzalez, Boston Red Sox 1B
Muscular Benefits
Increases back strength, specifically the lats
Improves core and hip stability
Sports Performance Benefits
Improving back strength and upper-body stability prepares you for baseball's repeated throws and swings, or the rigors of other sports
Moving through a full range of motion increases upper-body mobility so muscle tightness won't limit your natural throwing and swinging motions
Engaging the entire body strengthens hip and core muscles, helping to connect the lower and upper body, increasing overall power and reducing the chance of injury
Backward Weighted Bear Crawl How-To
Assume push-up position with hands on weight plates
Pull weight with right arm toward right foot and step back
Perform same motion on left side
Continue bear crawl for specified distance
Sets/Reps: 3x10 yards
Coaching Points
Get full range of motion with each pull
Keeps hips low and body flat
Perform in slow, controlled fashion
Increase distance over time
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